Printing



-ug. 25, 1936. B. J. KELLY ET AL 2,052,351

PRINTING Filed June 16, 1934 1 i? E llllmmllllm A milu l :kjl Ln I A HAMM Patented Aug. 25, 1936 UNITED STAT-Es PRINTING Bernard J. Kelly and James W. Kemmler, Philadelphia, Pa., assignors to Sloane-Blabon Corporation, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Delaware Y Application June v16, 1934, Serial No."730,897

1s claims. 01. 41-2s) This invention relates to vprinting blocks and t'o `a method and `apparatus for block printing.

'I'his application is 1a continuation in 4part of our copending application Serial No.`626,593, filed July 30, 1932. In that application we have disclosed a method `and :apparatus'for'blending colors applied to 'afsurfa'ce by block :printing 'in `the usual way. The novel'blending action is attained accordingto the said prior application by the action of a 'forarninous sheet and especially of a brushor similar stranded materiaLwhich by dipping into :and withdrawing from the already applied paint causes a-certain 'amount of crossow and of blending at the borders'between adjacent areas of different colors.

The apparatus Aconstructed in accordance `with the disclosure of our said prior application may be used to advantage Ynot only lfor blending or smoothing of previously applied paint, but also for the initial application of paint or other colors to thema'terial which is to be printed. It is an important vadvantage of `such brush blocks that they leave noline between the ridges of 'paint applied to the surface. Thus a smooth coverage may be attained even on surfaces and/or with coating materials which would `not Vpermit ready closingin under usual conditions withlineror pin blocks. This advantage is also especially 'important `in underlay printing as described and claimed'in the prior copending application of Bernard J. Kelly, Patent No. 1,924,501 dated Aug. 29, 1933; Whereas, with the use of line or pinblocksthe underlay tends to `flow through to 'the surfacebetween the lines or drops of paint applied from the block, with the use of vbrush `blocks the `backgroundmay be appliedsmoothly and the bleeding through to the surface of the underlay color may be made more smooth and irregular than in the case of color `applied by line or pin blocks as in said patent.

Another advantage of our invention is the greater ease Withwhichblocks may be cut,whereas, `line and .'.pin blocks must be cut with` greatest care by means of chisels, etc. It is a relatively simple v.matter Lto cut a piece of pile fabric or other brush material to the design shape and tack or cement it -to the `face of the block, or to cover the entire face of the block with brush material and to cut or burn ofi' portions of the strands from the surface, so `as to leave only the` design areas projecting sufficiently to carry the color into contact with the surface being printed. It is,jtherefore, an `object of this invention to provide a printing block and method and apparatus of printing which is capable of producing improve-d decorative effects, which is more easily made and/or altered, and `which will produce more periectand uniform application of the colors to fthe-printed surface.

WithV these objects in View, the invention contemplates a method and .apparatus for applying and/or blending or `spreading printed colorsin Which a color carrying element is ,provided with a foraminous facing and especially witha facing which Vacts like a brush, having closely spaced strands terminating in a substantially level surface and'adapted to carry-color on their ends and to cause a certain amount of lateral now of wet colors With whichthey are brought into contact.

In the accompanying drawing we have illustrated a preferred embodiment of our Ainvention by Way of example and to assist vin explaining the principle and mode of operation thereof. It is vnot in any sense to be taken as limiting.

Figure .1 illustrates a conventional type of block printing machine having brush blocks thereon according to the present invention;

Figure 2 is a cross-section of one type of brush block which may be'used in the present invention;

Figure 3 shows Va piece of `material having a design printed thereon according to the present invention; and

Figures Ll, 5 and 6 are plan views of blocks used in printing the design shown in Figure 3.

Referring rst to Figure 1, we'have shownthere a conventional type block printing machine in which there are a plurality of units, I0, each of which operates more or less independently upon a section of the material, .and each of which is substantially a duplicate Vof the others. These printings units, Ill, consist essentiallyof a reciprocating mechanism, ordinarily a cam, Il, a slide, I2, having a cam follower, I3, and `mounted in the frame I4. Each of the slides, I2, vcarriesthe printing head proper, :|5, to which is affixed the block, I6, on which is the foraminous color carrying portions 16a, IBb, IIic (Figures .4 to'6)`. A paint `carriage II is associated with each printing head, and carries the roller I8 `which dips into the paint `and serves togtransfer a film of paint from the supply within the carriage tothe printing portions on the face ofthe printing block I6. The roller I8 is rotated .by means of a pinion I9 on its end which engages in 'a gear rack 20 on ,the bed of the machine through the Wheel pinions vill. In this Way'the surface .of the paint roll I8 rolls smoothly over the surface of the printing block substantially Without dragging.

The brush or similar stranded material secured on the face of the blocks I6 forms the actual printing surface ofthe block. In this case we have shown this as a pile ifabric, but it is to be understood that a true ybrush or .any other material having closely spaced strands terminating in a substantially level surface,.as set forth in our earlier application Serial No. 626,593, may be used for this purpose. And in fact, many .of the advantages of the invention may be attained The blocks which are to apply color from theVv rolls l 8 have the foraminous surface cut to correspond to the design areas which are to be printed with a given color and the printing heads on which these blocks are mounted are adjusted so that the strands or bristles barely, or not quite, touch the surface of the goods so that the paint suspended therefrom will be deposited upon the goods. If a greater spreading action is desired at some expense of smoothness of application or if the surfaceV to which the color is applied is one to which the color does not readily adhere, a head may be adjusted so that the ends .ofthe bristles are actually pressed against the surface and caused toex to some extent. This may, for example, be desirable in obtaining certain novel decorative effects by under-lay printing, utilizing the invention of Bernard J. Kelly set forth in Patent No. 1,924,501 referred to above.

In addition to the blocks which transfer the color from the rollers i8, to the goods, additional blocks may be provided to effect blending or spreading of the colors across the borders. In this case the block is operated substantially like a mash block in the usual prior practice, but according to the present invention may have a brush surface instead of the usual line or pin surface. Pin or line blocks may also be used for mashing or smoothing colors applied according to the present invention with brush blocks; and, as already stated, brush blocks may be used to mash or blend colors applied in other ways.

This blending block may be mounted so that the bristles of the brush merely touch the surface of the color applied by the other blocks, or it may be adjusted to press against the goods sufficiently to flex the bristles slightly. In the former case only a slight blending action will occur, whereas in the latter the flexing of the bristles will tend to work the color laterally in the brush and thereby cause a more thorough blending along the borders; and the suction as the brush is removed will tend to cause an irregular cross flow in the color across the borders of the design portions. If the brush is one having long bristles or strands, e. g. 3%; of an inch or even up to 3 or 4 inches in length, the flexing action of the bristles will be emphasized and the suction will be proportionately less. Whereas if the strands are short, as in the case of an ordinary pile fabric, and especially with fine closely spaced strands such as exist in a mohair fabric, the squeezing and suction action is relatively more important and the flexing action Vof the bristles is much less significant.

Depending upon the effect which is desired and the nature of the color which is to be applied the bristles may be stiff and substantially spaced, e. g. as in an ordinary scrub Vbrush or wire scratch brush, or may be soft, ne and crowded together, as in the case of an ordinary camels hair brush or a pile fabric, or may be of an intermediate quality.

The more the bristles flex during the brush Vpressing blending operation the greater will be the blending effect, whereas the more pressure and suction which is applied by the choked bristles in pressing against and being removed from the printed surface the more irregular and sharp will be the intermingling of the adjacent colors.

Where the entire face of the goods is to be blended no special precautions need be taken to prevent brushing of adjacent design areas by bristles which may become bent outwardly from the brush, and We have found that with short bristles, as in the case of the pile fabric, no special precautions of this kind are necessary. However, Where longer bristles are used or where a very ne definition of the printed areas is desired a limiting strip may be used to bind the edges of the brush portions as set forth in the parent application Serial No. 626,593.

In Figure 3, I have shown, by way of example, one pattern which may be printed according to the present invention and in Figures 4, 5 and 6, I have shown a series of blocks suitable for the latter steps in printing this pattern. The pattern shown is a marbleized pattern. veining, which in this case is to be printed as an under-lay, may be printed by line or pin blocks if desired, since the color will have an opportunity to ow together before the background color is applied thereon. In the present instance, however, we have shown a print block having the brush portions (Ilia) for applying such underlay veining, For simplicity, we have shown only a single under-lay block, but it will be understood that any number of different colors may be applied in this way as veining or in different elements of the pattern or design, and any part of the design may be applied by other types of blocks.

The second printing block shown is provided with a brush surface lGb over its entire surface in order to apply the background color, and the third block which serves as a blending block is also provided with an all-over brush surface IEC. This last-named block serves both to draw the under-lay irregularity up through the background color and to effect blending at the borders between the colors. If desired, this drawing up operation can be eifected by a pin or line block or, as set forth in the Patent No. 1,924,501 referred to above, and very pleasing effects can be obtained without any such forced blending merely allowing the under-lay color to bleed irregularly through to the surface of the background color, particularly if theY block which applies the background color is set to exert some pressure on the under-lay.

It is to be understood that this particular pattern is given only for purposes of illustration and that the brush blocks can be used t0 replace some or all of the pin and line blocks in almost any type of pattern, or, as set forth in the parent application Serial No. 626,593, the colors may be entirely applied by pin or line blocks and only the blending effected by brush blocks. The invention is applicable in overlay and cut-out printing as well as in under-lay printing.

Where color is to be applied to less than all of the surface, as in the case of the block |5a, the brush surface may be formed in various ways. Thus small brushes can be made up in shapes corresponding to the pattern elements to be printed, and secured to the printing blocks or the brush may be made the full size of the block and the bristles or strands cui'l back or burned away in the areas which it is desired not to print. When a pile fabric is used, it is a very simple matter to cut it into pieces which form small brushes corresponding to the pattern elements which are to be printed and these may then be tacked or cemented on to the block l5.

An important advantage of the use of a brush block especially for blending, is that it permits the destruction of the interface between the colors which are successively applied and thereby terminates any tendency toward flooding or bleeding of the colors into one another. Thus over-lay, under-lay and block portions in different areas of a pattern may be applied by the same block and with the same color, thus reducing the number of blocks required and increasing the number of colors which may be used with a given number of printing heads to obtain various design effects. This had not been thought possible prior to our invention because of the diiiiculty which has been `experienced with flooding and bleeding of colors unless the one applied last was less tacky as in the case of a line color as distinguished from the ordinary block colors.

From the above it will be understood that the present invention is capable of wide variation in its application and that numerous effects may be secured according to the wishes of the designer. Accordingly, the above is to be taken only as illustrative of the manner of embodying and applying the invention and in no sense limiting the invention to the particular embodiments disclosed.

What we claim is:

1. In a block printing machine comprising a plurality of color applying blocks, means for applying color to the blocks, means for moving the blocks to apply the color therefrom onto successive portions of the goods being printed, and a brush block adapted to press against the paint applied by said other blocks, and means for moving said brush block to cause it to dip into and withdraw from the paint already applied while the printed surface remains substantially Without movement relative thereto.

2. In a block printing machine as defined in claim 1 in which the brush block has closely spaced strands each terminating in substantially common plane. v

3. In a block printing machine as defined in claim 1 in which the brush block is faced with a pile fabric.

4. In a block printing machine as defined in claim 1 in which the means for moving the brush block is adapted to move said block perpendicular to the color surface and parallel to the brush bres.

5. In a block printing machine comprising a plurality of color-applying blocks, means for applying color to the blocks, means for moving the blocks to and away from successive portions of the goods being printed, whereby toI supply color thereto, and a block having a foraminous facing adapted to permit access of air to substantially all parts of the surface thereof, whereby to break the suction when the block is withdrawn, but the openings therethrough being narrow, whereby the surface tension of the coloring material used therewith will permit said block to exert substantial pressure and suction on the remaining coloring material when said block is dipped into it, and removed therefrom.

6. In a blo-ck printing machine the combination of a bed, means for moving sheet material step by step over the bed, printing heads having printing blocks thereon, means for moving the printing heads tobring the blocks to and away from the material on the bed, and color feeding means adapted to supply color to at least some of said blocks, at least a part of said blocks having a facing of foraminous material adapted to permit access of air to substantially all parts of the surface thereof.

7. The combination, as defined in claim 6 in which the foraminous material is formed with closely spaced strands, having ends substantially at the surface thereof.

8. A combination as defined in claim 6 in which the foraminous material is a bristle brush.

9. A combination, as defined in claim 6 in which the color feeding means comprises a color fountain adapted to apply a film of color direct to the surface of the foraminous material.

10. A combination, as defined in claim 6, in which the foraminous facing is a brush cut so that the portions which extend to the surface thereof correspond to limited design areas.

11. A combination, as defined in claim 6 in which the foraminous facing is a pile fabric cut to correspond to design shapes.

12. A combination as defined in claim 6 in which the foraminous facing is a brush, a portion of the strands of which have been removed so that the strands terminate at the printing surface only in design areas.

13. The method of printing designs on sheet material which comprises forming a block having foraminous strand portions corresponding to design areas to be printed, said design strand areas being in a different plane than the strand areas which do not form a part of the design, applying color to the surface of said design strand portions, evenly distributed thereover, whereby it is held suspended by the ends of the strands thereof, and moving the block into proximity to the material to be printed whereby the suspended color is transferred to the surface of said material.

14. The method of printing designs as defined in claim 13 in which limited design areas are first printed on to the sheet material and overlying design portions are printed as defined in claim V13 While said rst printed portions are still wet.

15. The method of forming printing blocks which comprises forming a brush of the size of the desired block and removing at least the ends of the strands throughout the areas thereof in which printing by the block is not desired leaving the ends of the strands within the printing areas in a higher substantially uniform plane than the material in other areas.

16. The method as defined in claim 15 in which the strands of the brush are removed from the printing surface in areas where printing is not desired by burning said strands away.

17. A printing block comprising a brush having the strands thereof within the printing areas terminating in a substantially uniform plane, and the strands in areas where printing is not desired being cut back from said plane.

18. A printing block having brush portions with the strands thereof terminating in a substantially uniform plane in areas corresponding to the pattern areas to be printed thereby, said pattern strand areas being in a substantially higher plane than the strand areas which do not form a part of the pattern.

BERNARD J. KELLY. JAMES W. KEMMLER. 

